First record of bacteriomorphic organisms in platanoid infructescences from the Campanian Kundur locality,Amur region

Bacteriomorphic organisms found in fruits of capitate infructescences in Kunduricarpus Kodrul, N. Maslova, Tekleva et Golovneva, Platanaceae, are described. Three types of carpel damage have been detected: (1) evidence of penetration of microorganisms in the walls of the carpel, (2) three-dimensional structures (isolated and in chains) rounded in section, which fill the inner space of the carpel, and (3) imprints of these structures on the inner surface of the carpel wall cuticle. The possible nature of the microorganisms is discussed.     

Effects of high and low molecular soluble factors of the bone marrow on antibody formation and pain sensitivity in animals

In addition to the immunostimulating activity, bone marrow mediators, myelopeptides (MP) show the dose-dependent effect on the development of pain sensitivity in mice. When injected in nanogram amounts, MP induce hyperalgesia and 3-9 fold higher production of antibodies against SREC. When injected in milligram amounts, they exhibit hypoalgesic effect and no influence on antibody production. Immunostimulating effect in MP (mol, mass less than 1 KD, fraction 3) is accompanied with hypoalgesia. Bone marrow factors of mol. masses 40-150 KD (fraction 1) eluted at Sephadex G-25 gel-filtration before MP enhance the pain sensitivity tHreshold and show a potent immunodepressive effect. Thus the bone marrow factors are capable of exhibiting the opposite effects on the immune system in the pain control system that evidences the tight interrelation between these systems.     

Results of experimental radiobiological studies made within the 10-kilometer zone of the Chernobyl AES accident]

A study was made of the effect of high radioactive contamination on the animal organism (C57BL/6 mice) and HeLa cell culture within the ten-kilometer zone of the Chernobyl A.P.S. accident. The total radiation dose, as calculated by a gamma-component, was 0.09 to 2 Gy. A long-term exposure of mice within the zone (cumulative dose of 1.8 to 2 Gy) caused a significant decrease in bone marrow stem potencies and changes in the brain vascular system; subsequent acute exposure of animals increased interferon titres in the serum to a much greater extent than a single acute exposure did. As to HeLa cells, irradiation there of with doses of 0.09 to 0.4 Gy during 15-20 postirradiation generations caused a decrease in the proliferative activity, an emergence of cells with micronuclei and of giant cells, and remote cell death.     

A technique for the assessment of the cytotoxic capacity of CD8+ lymphocytes based on phase images

A novel technique for the assessment of cytotoxic capacity, which is a characteristic of the state of immune-system cells, has been proposed. Using coherent phase microscopy, perforin granules have been detected and described in the cytoplasm of live CD8+ lymphocytes. According to the analysis of phase images, the parameters of perforin granules in the cell were quantitatively assessed. Their average values were calculated as follows: the projected area on the image plane, 15 ± 7 μm²; phase volume, 0.94 ± 0.24 μm³; and the dry weight of the granules, 0.52 ± 0.11 pg. Taking the advantage of this technique, it appears possible to determine cytotoxic capacity using a small number of live cells without employing fluorescent-labeled probes.     

Preparatory extraction of 5'-oligoribonucleotides using ribonuclease from cobra venom]

Cobra (Naja oxiana) venom ribonuclease, which catalyses hydrolysis of polyribonucleotides to 5'-oligonucleotides, was used to obtain preparatively isoplit oligonucleotide fractions, containing 2-30 nucleotides. The yield of hydrolysis products varied depending on the degree of hydrolysis. Hydrolysis rates of different polynucleotides were studied. Hydrolysis rate of polyadenylic acid was 20 times as high as that for polyuridylic acid. Quantitative ratios of isoplit fractions did not vary significantly under similar degree of hydrolysis of polyadenylic and polyuridilic acids. Chromatography on QAE-Sepahdex in ammonium bicarbonate concentration gradient containing 15% dioxan was used to separate enzymatic hydrolysates of polynucleotides, which permitted to bring the fraction isolation to simple evaporation.